Universal rolling mill



J3me 3932' A. W. SODERBERG ET AL 1,8653% UNIVERSAL RQLLING MILL Filed De29, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 3mm 1932- A. w. SODERBERG ET AL UNIVERSALROLLING MILL Filed Dec. 29, I928 5 Sheets-5119M 2 June 1932- A. W.SODERBERG ET AL L 9 UNIVERSAL ROLLING MILL Filed Dec. 29, 1928 5Sheets5heec 5 fi/vpe w W 509555525 ana 4444M 6. DHP/LciEE/V.

June 23, R932. A. W. SODERBERG ET AL 198659235 UNIVERSAL ROLLING MILLFiled Dec. 29, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 D Q Nu.

3mm W32: W; $QDERBERG ET AL 3 9 v UNIVERSAL ROLLING MILL I Filed Dec.29, 1928 s Sheets-Sheet s Patented June 28, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE 1 I H ANDREW W. SODERBERG, OF MUNHALL, AND ALLAN-G. DAHLGREN, FPITTSBURGH,

PENNSYLVANIA UNIVERSAL ROLLING MILL Application filed December 29, 1928.Serial No. 329,268.

Our invention relates to the construction of universal rolling millshaving horizontal rolls which are positively driven and verticallyadjustable, and vertical side rolls which are horizontally adjustableand frictionally driven by contact with the metal being rolled, and moreparticularly relates to such mills as adapted for use in rolling H andI-beams and similar flanged structural shapes.

)0 Referring now to the drawings, Figure 1 is aside elevation, partlyinsection, showing a universal mill for rolling flanged shapesconstructed to embody the. novel features of our invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional plan of the mill of Figure 1, the section beingtaken on the irregular line II-II of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a plan of portions of the apparatus of Figures 1 and 2,showing details in the construction and arrangement of the adjustingmechanism for the vertical side rolls forming part of this invention.

Figure 4 is a detail side elevation showing further detailsin theconstruction of the overhead side roll adjusting mechanism shown inFigure 3.

Figure 5 is a sectional elevation, on the line V-V of Figure 2, showingdetails in the eonstruction and arrangement of the vertical side rollsand side roll adjusting mechanism.

Figure 6 is a plan on a larger scale showing details in the constructionof the chucks for the vertical side rolls.

Figure 7 is a side elevation of the apparatus of Figure 4, partly insection, showing details in the construction of the chuck and verticalroll as mounted therein.

Figure 8 is a sectional plan of the chuck of Figures 6 and 7.

In the drawings, the numerals 2, 2 designate the two roll housings of auniversal rolling mill for rolling flanged shapes and similar rolledproducts, having horizontal top and bottom rolls 3 and 4 which arepositively driven, and vertical rolls 5 and 6 which are frictionallydriven by contact with the side surfaces or flanges of the shape beingrolled, the material being impelled by the horizontal rolls.

The housings are fastened on shoes 7, 7 by bolts 8 in the usual mannerand one housing 2 (the one at the left in Figure l) is adapted to bemoved sidewise on the shoes- 7 to vary the distance between the housings2, 2 to suit the length of the rolls 3 and 4: for the various kinds andsizes of shapes rolled on the mill and also to facilitate changing thehorizontal rolls, which frequently occurs because of the different sizesof shapes rolled on the mill.

The horizontal rolls have necks 9, 9 and 10, 10 which extend through thewindows of the housings and are rotatably mounted'in bearings 11, 11 and12, 12 that are located within the housing windows and are se-' curedtherein so that the rolls 3 and 4 and the bearings are verticallyadjustable. Each of-the housings, which are of the closed t'op type, hasa housing nut 13 in its upper and lower end through which the housingscrews 14 and/or 15 extend into operative engage ment with thehorizontal roll bearings 11 and 12, and on one end of each housing screwis a worm-wheel 16 by which the screws 14 and ]5 are rotated inadjusting the top and bot- 7 tom rolls vertically in the way to bedescribed. Also mounted in the housing windows, between the necks 9 and10 of the horizontal rolls, are the vertical frictionally driven siderolls 5 and 6, these rolls being rotatably mounted in chucks 32 by whichthey are adjustably held in recesses or offsets in the opposite sidefaces of the window of each housmg. The vertical rolls 5 and 6 and theirchucks 32 do not move vertically during the 85 operation of the millbutare arranged to move horizontally toward and away from each other (andthe end surfaces of the horizontal rolls 3, 4) as will be explainedhereinafter.

The we. in which the vertical rolls 5 and 6 the windows of the rollhousings, which form novel and important features of our invention, willnow be described.

The body of the vertical rolls is an annulus having a peripheral workingface 18 and an axial opening or bore 19 of relatively large size, therolls being counterbored to form a rabbet at each end thereof.

Mounted within the bore of the roll body are the rollers and race ringsof an anti-friction bearing, four rows of short cylindricl rollers 20being used in the bearing shown. The inner face of the annular roll bodyis fitted with three annular race rings 21, 22, 23 having tapering,roller engaging faces, the middle race ring 22 having a double taper.Separators 24 prevent axial movement of the rings relative to the rollbody when the roll, the bearing and pin 26, on which the rollers turn,are secured in assembled relation.

The bearing pin 26 has two race rings 27,

i 27 fitted thereon, each of which has oppositely tapering rollerengaging inner faces. Annular pro ections 28 on the inner tapering facesof the rings 27 at the middle of their length, serve as separatorsbetween the opposite ends of the two outside rows of the rollers 20 andthere also is an annular separator 25 between the rowsof rollers tomaintain them in position. A

The bearing'pin 26 has two race rings 27, 29 on one end, which isrectangular in outline. On the other end of the pin, which is ofslightly reduced diameter, is a collar 30 which is rectangular inoutline and which is divided lengthwise into two halves.

The ends of the head 29 and ends of the split collar are rabbeted for apurpose to be described later. Heads 31, which are secured in therabbeted ends of the roll body by cap bolts 32 having countersunk heads,secure the rollers 20 and other parts of the anti-friction bearing andthe pin 26 in place in the bore of the vertical roll.

The chuck 32, in which the vertical side rolls are rotat-ably mounted,has horizontal top and bottom sides 33, 34 vertical ends 35, 35 and aflanged vertical side 36.

The other vertical side 37 of the chuck 1s open to permita side roll 5or };6 with the roller bearing and bearing pin 26 in assembled relationtherewith to be inserted between the top and bottom sides of the chuck.The sides 33, 34 of the chuck 32 have a slot 38 therein which extendsinwardly from the open side of the chuck and in which the head 29 of thelower end and the split collar 30 on the upper end of the pin. 26 areseated. The ends of these slots ave rabbets 39 to enga e therabbetedends of the pin head 29 an the split collar 30 and prevent anyaxial movement of the pin and roll relative to the chuck.

It will, of course, be understood that the most careful and exactmachine work will be used in making the bearings for the vertical rollsand forming the rabbeted slots 39.

After the roll is mounted in the chuck the cap 40 is secured in place onthe open side of the chuck by bolts 41 and nuts 42 so as to rigidly holdthe head of the pin and its split collar in place in the slots in whichthey are seated.

It will be noted that by mounting the vertical roll with its bearing andbearing pin in this way and by securing them in place on the chuck 32 bythe removable cap 40, that the vertical rolls 5 and 6 can be removedfrom the chuck and replaced by others without disturbing the pin androllers in the vertical roll. This is an important advantage because ofthe time saved in making roll changes and increase in the time availablefor the shape rolling operations.

Projecting outwardly from the opposite ends of the chuck 32 at eachcorner thereof are the arms 43, 44 by which the chucks are supported inthe recesses in the window of the roll housing, these arms beingslidably seated in offsets in the side surfaces of the housing windows.The vertical faces 44 of these arms taper lengthwise and each tapersurface is provided with a wedge 45 secured thereon so as to beadjustable lengthwise. The dovetail projection on one face of the wedgesengages the dovetail recess in the coacting face 44 of the arms 43, 44to secure the wedge in place. A lug 46 on one end of the wedges has aslotted hole through which a stud bolt 47 extends from the end of thechuck arm on which the wedge is mounted. Nuts 48 on the stud bolts, oneon each side of the lugs, enable the wedges to be adjusted lengthwise onarms and lock the wedges in adjusted position on the arms 43, 44.- Theouter faces of the wedges 45, when secured. on the arms of the chuck,engage with the side surfaces of the offsets in the housing windows, thewedges being chuck which is horizontally movable in the ofi'sets. Inaddition to taking up wear, the

wedges enable the chuck and its side roll to be alined sidewise in thehousing window when required'by retracting the wedges on .one end andadvancing those on the opposite 'end of the chuck.

The chuck 32 with its vertical roll in place thereon is mounted in theoffsets of the housing windows with the upper surface 49 of the chuckarms 43 in close engagement with the horizontal top face of the offsets.The lower face 50 of the oflsets in the housing windows taperslengthwise and mounted thereon are wedges 51 on which the lower chuckarms 44 slide in operating the mill. These wedges, which have a lug 52on one end with a slotted hole in the lug are adjusted as required totake up wear and maintain the desired sliding fit between the chuck andhousing. Stud bolts 53 which project outwardly from the outer face ofthe housings extend through the slotted holes in the lugs 52 and nuts54, 55 on these bolts enable the wedges to be adjusted and hold them inadjusted position.

The chucks 32 are yieldingl-y secured to lengthwise horizontalcross-heads 56 of which there is one alongside each roll housing. Bolts57 which extend through slotted holes in the chucks and abutting flangedface of the cross-heads fasten the cross-heads in place and preferably acoil spring 57 is secured on each of the bolts 57. The cross-heads havefeet 58 by which they are slidably mounted on ways 59, a wedge 60 on thebottom of the feet 58 being used to form wearing surfaces and enable thecross-head to be alined vertically with respect to its roll chuck and tothe quills 67 by which the cross-head is manipulated. Stud bolts 61 onthe feet of the cross-heads and nuts 62 hold the wedges 60 in adjustedposition on the feet 58.

The cross-heads which form the means for moving the vertical rolls andtheir chucks horizontally and for holding them in operative positionhave counterbored holes 63 in each end. inwhich a nut 64 is seated, thenut being held against rotation by a feather key 65 and being removablysecured in the counterbored hole by a gland 66 which is bolted to theface of the cross-head.

Extending through the holes 66 and nuts 63 are rotatable externallythreadedtubular shafts or quills 67 by which the cross-heads areactuated in adjusting the vertical rolls 5 and 6 horizontally in themill. Each quill is telescoped over a horizontal tension rod 68 whichprojects outwardly from the face of the roll housing, being held thereonby a head 69 on one end of the rod which is seated in a recess in theinner face of the housing. A key 70 prevents rotation of the rod in thehole through which it extends. The outer end of each. tension rod has atransverse slot 71 through which a taper key 72 extends and on thetension rod 68. between the outer end of the quill 67 and the key 72, isa collar 73 which is keyed to the rod to prevent rotation.

Between the collar 73 and the adjacent end of the quill on the tensionrod 68 is a plurality of washers or shims 74, some of which may be madeof anti-frictionmetal; On the inner endof each quill and keyed orotherwise fastened thereto, is a worm-wheel 75 by which the quills arepositively rotated, the

I worm-wheel meshing with a driving worm 76 which is mounted on avertical shaft as will be described.

Heavy compression springs 126 telescoped over lengthwise horizontal eyebolts 127 ex- I tend through lugs 128 on the housings 2 to lugs 129 ontheends of the cross-heads 56 and tend to move the cross-heads away fromthe housings and effectually take up any back lash in the parts andthereby prevent rattling and other noises.

The eyes in the bolts 127 are connected to one end of the side guides130 which extend into proximity to the working face of the verticalrolls 5 and/or 6 so that the springs 126 also yieldingly hold one end ofthe guides in position. The other end of these guides have a similararrangement of bolts 131 and springs 132 to yieldingly hold this end ofthe guide in position relative to the vertical roll with which it isassociated. By this arrangement, the guides are yieldingly held in placewhile they also are adjustable with the vertical roll when the roll ismoved inwardly or outwardly by the cross-head to which itis attaehed.

The worm-wheel 75, keyed or otherwise fastened on the inner end of eachquill 67, meshes with a worm 76 which is mounted on a vertical shaft 77.the worms and wormwheels being secured in bearings 7 8 which are boltedor otherwise secured on the outer face of the roll housings. There arefour of the vertical shafts 77, one forv actuating each quill which areinterconnected by cross-shafts 79 and 80, and bevel gears 81 so as torotate the four side roll adjusting quills 67 in unison.

A drive shaft 82 at the top of the housings is connected to thecross-shafts 79 and and in turn is connected by a spur gear 83 andpinion 84 to a counter-shaft 85 which is connected to and operated bythe driving motor 86, on a base. plate 87 secured'on top of the pinionhousings. Each vertical shaft 77 is provided with jaw clutch 88 whichnors mally is held in operative position by a spring 89, the slidablemember of the clutch being moved by a. hand lever 90 to disconnect thejaws of the clutch and enable any one quill 'to remain stationary whilethe others are turning or, by disconnecting all but one of the clutchesto move but one of the quills. A series of jaws are provided on theseclutches so as to enable any one vertical shaft 77 to be moved through asmall part of one revolution and in this way provide a fine adjustmentof each quill in relatively adjusting the vertical rolls into operativeposition.

The top roll 3 is provided with acounterw balancing mechanism by whichits necks 9 4 one end thereof. The levers 95 on the rock shafts 96 areconnected by suitable links 99 to the cross-head 100 of a single actingfluid pressure cylinder 101 which is positioned on the support. Thefluid presure is not cut off when the mill is in operation, as thehousing 0 screws 14 force the roll 3 downwardly against the pressure, asis done in lowering this roll.

The worm-wheels 16 on the outer ends of the housing screws 14 by whichthe top roll 3 is adjusted, mesh with worms 102 on the horizontal shaft103 that is secured in bearings 104 above the roll housings. Thewormwheels 16 on the lower end of the housing screws 15 for adjustingthe bottom roll 4 have similar worms 102 which are mounted on thehorizontal shaft 105 whichis mounted in bearings 106' below the rollhousings. The horizontal worm-shafts 103, 105 are interconnected by avertical shaft 107 and bevel gears 108 so as to turn the housing screws14 and 15 in unison and to the same extent when adjusting the horizontalrolls into operative position. The horizontal worm-shaft 103 isoperatively connected at one end to a driving motor 104 mounted on thebase plate on top of the pinion housings 111. Jaw clutches 105 on thehorizontal shafts 103, 105 provide means for disconnecting such of thehousing screws 14, 15' as are to remain stationary while the others arebeing rotated to adjust them when preparing the mill for the rollingoperations.

The horizontal rolls 3 and 4 which are alike insize and contour, areconnected at the end of one neck by couplng boxes 10 6 and spindles 107,108 to the necks of the meshing top and bottom pinions 109, 110 in thepinion housing 111 at one side of the rolling mill and one neck of thelower pinion 110 is provided with a coupling member 112 by which thepinions are operatively connected bya lead spindle to a reversing,adjustable speed mill driving motor (not shown).

The spindles 107 and 108 extending between the horizontal rolls andpinoins are yieldingly supported by bearings 113, 114 which form part ofthe cradles 115, 116 that "extend between the opposite sides of the rollhousing 2 and pinion housing 111. The ends of the cradles adjoining thepinion housings are suspended by eye bolts 117 and springs 118 from lugsor brackets 119 on the separators which extend between and connect themill housings to the pinion housings. The ends of the cradles adjoiningthe mill housings are arranged to move upwardly and downwardly-wth thevertically adjustable rolls 3 and 4. One' (the swinging) end of thecradle 115 is suspended by eye bolts 120 and links 121 from thecross-arm 93 forming part of the supporting mechanism for the cradles91'on the necks 9 of the top roll 3 so as to move with the top roll. Theswinging end of thecradle 116 for' the bottom roll 4 is connected bylinks 122'to one end of levers 123 which-are pivoted on a pin 124 andhave a counterweight 125 at the other end so as to permit the swingingend of the cradle to move up and down when the bottom roll 4 issimilarly moved by the housing screws.

In the operation of our improved mill the horizontal and vertical rolls3 and 4, 5 and 6 will be assembled in the roll housings as shown. Thehorizontal and vertical rolls will then be carefully adjusted by meansof the housing screws 14, 15 and quills 67 to bring the working faces ofthe rolls into the right relation to each other. The quills 67 andhousing screws 14, 15 will then be manipulated to form a pass betweenthe rolls 3, 4, '5 and 6 of the size required for the first rolling orreducing pass. The material then is entered between the rolls and iselongated and partly shaped in transverse cross-section. The rolls arethen reversed and. are adjusted to form the next pass and the materialis again passed between the rolls and again reduced in cross-section andelongated.

These operations are then repeated as often as required to complete therolling operation in the mill. The rolls are then spread to receive thenext piece of material and the steps described above are repeated.

The advantages of our invention will be appreciated by those familiarwith the art. The novel-means employed in assembling the vertical rollsin the chucks enables roller hearings to be employed with these rollsnotwithstanding the very limited space available for operativelymounting the roll and its chuck in the housing windows.

Theimproved means employed in securing the chucks on the cross-headsenables the rolls to be removed and replaced in the housings withoutdisturbing the cross-head operating mechanism.

The adjustable wedges on the chuck and lower surface of the recesses inthe housings in which the chucks are movably mounted afford means foradjusting the chucks and vertical rolls sidewise within the recesses inwhich they are mounted and enable adjustments to easily and quickly bemade in compensating for wear on the sliding surfaces of the chucks. Bythe novel means employed for operating the cross-heads a strong anddurable adjusting mechanism is provided and the frequent adjustmentsnecessary are easily, quickly and accurately made.

' Modifications in the construction. and arrangement of the apparatusforming this invention may be made without departing from the inventiondescribed and particularly.

pointed out in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a universal rolling mill, the combination with roll housingshaving relatively adjustable horizontal and vertical rolls rotatrollswithin said windows, said means inclu'ding a roll chuck for the verticalrolls, an

adjustable cross-head alongside each roll housing to which the rollchuck is detachably secured, and means on the roll chuck for alining thechuck endwise within the housing window in alining the vertical rollinto operative position relative to the horizontal rolls. I

2. In a universal rolling mill, the combination 'with roll housingshaving relatively adjustable horizontal and vertical rolls rotatablymounted in the housing windows, said horizontal and verticalrolls beingin axial alinement in a vertical plane, ofhorizontally movable means forsupporting the vertical rolls within said windows, said means includinga roll chuck for each vertical-roll, an adjustable cross-head alongsideeach roll housing to which the roll chuck is detachably secured, andmeans on the roll chuck for taking up wear on the ends of the chuck tomaintain the chuck and vertical roll in the housing window in operativeposition relative to the horizontal rolls.

3. In a universal mill, the combination with the roll housings andhorizontal and vertical rolls adjustably secured in the windows of saidhousings and'chucks for said vertical rolls, cross-heads to which saidchucks are secured of means. for actuating said chucks, said meanscomprising tension rods on said housings, threaded quills on saidtension rods, nuts screwed on said threaded quills and secured againstrotation'on said crossheads, and means for rotating said quills.

4. In a universal rolling mill having roll housings with horizontal andvertical rolls adjustably mounted in the windows of the housings, thecombination with said vertical rolls and chucks in which said rolls arerotatably secured, of means for. adjusting said chucks to move thevertical rolls toward and away from the bodies of the horizontal rolls,said means comprising tension rods on the roll housings, screw threadedquills rotatably mounted on the tension rods and threaded through nutson said cross-heads, means 'for rotating the quills to move the crossheads and compressible springs between the cross-heads and rollhousings.

5. In a universal rolling mill having roll housings, horizontal andvertical rolls mounted in the windows of the housings with the axesthereof in the same vertical plane, means for driving said horizontalrolls and means for causing a relative approach of each roll toward theothers, of chucks for the vertical rolls having a vertical pin and aroller bearing rotatable on the pin on which the ver tical rolls aremounted to freely rotate thereon, said chucks having integral top andbottom sides and ends, said sides having slots, said pin, roller bearingand roll being locked in the slotted sides of the chuck to preventmovement thereof relative to the chuck.

6. In a universal rolling mill having roll housings, horizontal andvertical rolls mounted in the windows of the housings with the axesthereof in the same vertical plane, means for driving said horizontalrolls and means for causing a relative approach of each roll toward theothers, of chucks for the vertical rolls by which said rolls areadjusted toward and away from the ends of the horizontal rolls, saidchucks having slotted integrally formed top and bottom sides, a pinhaving a rectangular head and split rectangular collar by which it ismounted in said slots, a roller bearing on said pin on which thevertical roll is rotatably, mounted and a cap to fasten the pin andcollar in the slots of the chuck, said pin. bearing and roll beinglocked between the top and bottom sides of the chuck against verticalmovement within said chuck.

7. In a universal rolling mill the combinationwith roll housings havinghorizontal and vertical rolls rotatably mounted in the housing windows,with the axes thereof in the same vertical plane and relatively movablein the same plane, of horizontally movable means for supporting thevertical rolls within the housing windows, said means including a rollchuck for each vertical roll, an adjustable cross-head alongside thehousing to which the roll chuck is detachably secured and means on theroll chuck for moving the chuck endwise within the housing window tomaintain the axes of the vertical rolls in the vertical plane of theaxes of the horizontal rolls.

8. In a universal rolling mill the combination with roll housings andrelatively adjustable horizontal and vertical rolls rotatably mounted inthe housing windows, the axes of said horizontal and vertical rollsbeing in the same vertical plane of horizontally movable means forrelatively adjusting the vertical rolls within said windows, said meansincluding roll chucks for supporting the vertical rolls in the housingwindows, an adjust able cross-head alongside the housing to which theroll chuck is detachably secured, and adjusting means on the ends of theroll chuck for moving the chuck endwise to m aintain the axes of thevertical rolls in the vertical plane of the horizontal rolls, said chuckmoving'means being adjustably secured to said chuck.

9. In a universal rolling mill the combination with roll housings andrelatively adjustable horizontal and vertical rolls rotatably mounted inthe housing windows. of horizontally movable means for supporting thevertical rolls within said windows,.said means including a roll chuckfor the vertical rolls, an adjustable cross-head alongside the housingand detachably connected to the roll chuck, and means for adjusting saidchuck endwise relative to the side of the housing window in which thechuck is mounted.

10. In a universal rolling mill the combination with roll housings andrelatively adj ustable horizontal and vertical rplls rotatably mountedin the housing windows, of horizontally movable means for su porting thevertical rolls within said win ows, said means including a roll chuckfor the vertical rolls, an adjustable cross-head alongside the housingto which the roll chuck is detachably secured, and means for adjustingsaid chuck endwise relative to the sides of the housing windows tomaintain the axes of the vertical rolls in alinement with the axes ofthe horizontal rolls in a single vertical plane, said means includingwedges dovetailed to the ends of the chuck.

11. In a universal rolling mill the combination with roll housings andrelatively ad justable horizontal and vertical rolls rotatably mountedin the housing windows, of horizontally movable means for supporting thevertical rolls within said windows, said means including a roll chuckfor the vertical rolls, an adjustable cross-head alongside the housingto which the roll chuck is detach: ably secured, and means for adjustingsaid chuck endwise relative to the sides of the housing windows to takeup wear and maintain the vertical rolls in alinement with the axes ofthe horizontal rolls in a vertical plane, said means including wedgesdovetailed to the ends of the chuck, and means for fastening thedovetailed wedges in adjusted position orf the chuck ends.

12. In a universal rolling mill the combina tion with roll housings andrelatively adjustable horizontal and vertical rolls rotatably mounted inthe housing windows, of horizontally movable means for supporting thevertical rolls within said windows, said means including a roll chuckfor each vertical roll, an adjustable cross-head alongside the housingand detachably connected to the roll chuck, means for adjusting saidchuck endwise relative to the sides of the housing window in which thechuck is yieldingly mounted, a support on which the cross-head isslidably mounted, and means on said crosshead and movable therewith foradjusting the cross-head vertically on said support.

13. In a universal rolling mill the combination with roll housingshaving horizontal and vertical rolls rotatably mounted in the housingwindows, with the axes thereof in the same vertical plane and relativelymovable in the said plane, of horizontally movable means for supportingthe vertical rolls within the housing windows, said means including aroll chuck for each vertical roll, an adjustable cross-head alongsidethe housing to which the roll chuck is yieldingly secured, and means formoving the chuck endwise withinthe housing windows to maintain the axesof the vertical rolls in a plane through the axes of the horizontalrolls.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands.

ANDREW W. SODERBERG. ALLAN G. DAHLGREN.

